ORNAMENTAL HEDGES AND SCREENS.
Quince branchFig. 113.—Branch Of Japan Quince.
Fig. 113.—Branch Of Japan Quince.
Fig. 113.—Branch Of Japan Quince.
Quince fruit and flowerFig. 114.—Fruit And Flower.
Fig. 114.—Fruit And Flower.
Fig. 114.—Fruit And Flower.
Hedges and screens for ornamental purposes alone, do not come strictly within the scope of this work, but we will briefly mention a few desirable plants for the purpose. The Japan Quince,Cydonia Japonica, of whichfigures 113and114show a branch, flower and fruit, is one of the best deciduous plants for an ornamental hedge. It will grow in almost any soil; if left to itself it forms a dense, strong bush, but it may be clipped or trained into any desired form. Its leaves are of dark glossy green, they come early in spring and remain until late in Autumn. This is one of the earliest shrubs tobloom in spring; its flowers are generally intense scarlet, though there are varieties with white, rose-colored, or salmon-colored flowers. A hedge of this plant is not only highly ornamental, but its abundant thorns make a good barrier. Privet,Ligustrum vulgare, makes a very neat screen, but will not bear severe cutting back, and is therefore suitable only for grounds of sufficient extent to admit of its being allowed to make unrestrained growth. The common Barberry,Berberis vulgaris, also makes an exceedingly pretty screen in time, but it is of slow growth. The Buffalo Berry,Sheperdia argentea, has been tried for hedges, but for some reason it has never attained any popularity. In the Southern States, the Cherokee Rose has been found quite successful for the purpose, and nothing in the shape of a hedge can exceed, in striking effect, one of these in full bloom. For evergreen screens nothing is better than the Hemlock,Tsuga Canadensis. The Norway Spruce is of rapid growth and bears cutting well. The Arbor Vitæ,Thuja occidentalis, is also very successfully employed for the purpose.